The revenue that your virtual power plant generates depends on how the devices in your portfolio perform when the grid calls on them. With most grid services revenue concentrated during the summer months, strong execution can have an outsized impact on annual earnings. Four key factors separate high-performing VPPs from portfolios that are leaving value on the table.
Data completeness
You can't get paid for energy you can't prove you curtailed. Performance calculations depend on complete interval data from every enrolled meter, and gaps can directly reduce revenue. Missing intervals during an event are treated as zero performance; missing intervals in the baseline period can drag down the baseline itself.
These gaps can come from faulty metering, customer authorization changes, or technical issues between utilities and the platform. Many are fixable, though finalized data typically arrives on a delay. That means revenue that appears low right after an event may recover as data comes in. For programs that use device-level interval data supplied by partners, timely and accurate submission to Leap is important for following program guidelines and calculating revenue correctly. Automating those submission workflows helps ensure your portfolio gets full credit for the value it delivers.
Event load
The most fundamental question: did the device actually respond? When a dispatch signal goes out, enrolled meters are expected to reduce, shift, or export their load. Some won't, whether due to a failed communication, a device that was already off, or a customer who opted out of the event
Patterns across multiple events are the most useful signal: a meter that consistently fails to respond is a clear candidate for customer outreach or a technical check. Running periodic communication tests before events is one of the simplest ways to catch problems early.
Nominations
A nomination is your forecast of how much capacity a meter can curtail, measured in kW. Nominating too high is one of the most common ways portfolios miss revenue. If a meter typically draws 1 kW on the hottest days but is nominated at 1.5 kW, it will rarely deliver against that commitment.
The goal is to rightsize each nomination: high enough to capture the meter’s real value, but realistic enough to hit consistently. A nomination that is too conservative leaves revenue on the table and reduces the grid value your portfolio can deliver. A nomination that is too aggressive can hurt performance and reduce earnings.
In programs that reward strong performance with bonus payments, accuracy matters even more. Consistently hitting the right number often earns more than occasionally missing an inflated one.
Baselines
A baseline estimates how much energy a meter would have used if a grid event had not occurred. Performance is measured as the reduction from that baseline, so an inaccurate baseline can affect earnings even when devices respond as expected.
Many programs calculate baselines by averaging usage across similar recent days. That approach can work well in stable conditions, but it can be less accurate for distributed energy resources with irregular usage patterns. For example, a site that was idle most of the month may have a near-zero baseline, meaning even strong curtailment earns little credit. Baselines are usually defined by program rules, but understanding how they work helps you anticipate when results may not fully reflect what happened.
Every pillar is an opportunity.
Leap works closely with partners to analyze portfolio data, diagnose the root causes of underperformance, and identify the most actionable improvements. You don't have to figure it out alone.